


Beetles are Friends, Not Food

by starwritess



Series: Tumblr Prompts [6]
Category: Blue Beetle (Comics), Booster Gold (Comics), DCU, Justice League International (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Family, First Meetings, M/M, Time Travel, Tumblr Prompt, a tad bit of, boostle, but also its boostle so when is there not angst, the fact that ted and rani have never met means i get to create my own first meeting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-24 15:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18574723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starwritess/pseuds/starwritess
Summary: Anon on Tumblr asked: Boostle “It’s only weird if you make it weird. Don’t - and you made it weird. Great.”





	Beetles are Friends, Not Food

**Author's Note:**

> listen i swear the next chapter of my fic is coming and im sorry its late but for now have this

Ted wasn’t a fool, he knew that this version of Booster was older. From the way his hair was thinning, to the newfound sense of purpose in the way he presented himself, and even a twinge of sadness in his smile. 

This was far from the first time an older Booster had appeared in front of him, but before, he’d always been alone.

A little girl - maybe around ten or eleven, with red hair pulled into two cute pigtails, and an oversized sweater halfway down her legs - was running up to Ted. He didn’t know this girl, but from the way Booster was standing a few feet away, hand covering a grin as he watched on, Ted wasn’t too worried.

“Hey,” He greeted, bending at the knees so that they were eye level. He spoke in a little higher voice, as he always did when addressing kids, “This is a nice surprise. And who might you be?”

“Mikey told me I could come meet you if I ate all my vegetables!” The girl cheered, jumping up on her tip toes.

Ted raised his eyebrow at Booster, who walked forward to stand behind the girl. “This is Rani, my, er, daughter? Ish. From the future.”

Ted’s eyebrow went even further as he looked between the two of them. “Ish?”

“She’s from the 30th century,” Booster explained, looking fondly down at the girl beside him. “We were both there when Daxam exploded, and she peed on me, so how could I not take her in?” He ruffled Rani’s hair, teasing, and then looked back up at Ted. “Please don’t make it weird.”

“Why would I make it weird?” Ted asked, hand on his chest as he faked offense, even as his heart melted at the sight of his best friend. Booster smiled at him, wide and beaming. Every time Ted saw that smile, it was like the first. Still the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen.

So it was very important that he impressed Rani.

Ted looked around frantically. What could he do? What did he like as a kid? What would have impressed him.

He hurried over to a nearby tree. Yes, perfect.

Holding a small beetle in his palm - a black one, unfortunately not blue - he walked back over to Rani and showed it to her. Ted grinned, “Watch this,” and then proceeded to swallow the beetle whole.

“Ewwww!” Rani looked away, but she was giggling excitedly. 

“Great, you made it weird,” Booster accused, putting a hand on Rani’s shoulder, but he, too, had laughter lines crinkling around his eyes. Oh, the lengths Ted would go to see Booster laugh. But could you really blame him? It was the most wondrous laugh in the world.

“You shouldn’t have expected any less,” Ted beamed and tried not to think about how he’d swallowed a live bug.

“You’re right, sometimes I just forget-” Booster quickly stopped himself, eyes suddenly glistening with despair. Ted wanted to ask, what? What did he forget? Was Ted different in the future? Did something happen to him? Is that why Rani didn’t know him in the future? But as soon as the frown had fallen, it lifted, and Booster’s standard, dazzling features returned.

“Forget what?” Ted asked, still curious.

Booster waved absently and gave a sad smile. “We should get going. Saving the universe and all that.” It was phrased as more of a joke, but Ted knew it wasn’t. This version of Booster was older, more responsible. He probably was going to save the universe, and Ted was proud of him, proud of the man he’d become, and he couldn’t wait to watch it all happen.

**Author's Note:**

> check out my [tumblr](https://supermonkeyball.tumblr.com/) for more!


End file.
